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heart attack

heart attack

心脏病发作

Definitions

A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle because the supply of blood to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped.
Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. More than 1.5 million Americans suffer a heart attack every year, and almost half a million die, according to the American Heart Association. Most heart attacks are the end result of years of silent but progressivecoronary arterydisease, which can be prevented in many people. A heart attack often is the first symptom of coronary arterydisease. According to the American Heart Association, 63% of women and 48% of men who died suddenly of coronary arterydisease had no previous symptoms. Heart attacks also are called myocardial infarctions (MIs).
A heart attack occurs when one or more of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart are completely blocked and blood to the heart muscle is cut off. The blockage usually is caused by atherosclerosis, the build-up of plaque in the artery walls, and/or by a bloodclot in a coronary artery. Sometimes, a healthy or atheroscleroticcoronary artery has a spasm and the blood flow to part of the heart decreases or stops. Why this happens is unclear, but it can result in a heart attack.
About half of all heart attackvictims wait at least two hours before seeking help. This increases their chance of sudden death or being disabled. The longer the artery remains blocked during a heart attack, the more damage will be done to the heart. If the blood supply is cut off severely or for a long time, musclecells suffer irreversibleinjury and die. This can cause the patient to die. That is why it is important to recognize the signs of a heart attack and seek promptmedical attention at the nearest hospital with 24-hour emergency cardiac care.
About one-fifth of all heart attacks are silent, that is, the victim does not know one has occurred. Although the victim feels no pain, silent heart attacks still can damage the heart.